The Late Homecoming
by NearlyHeadlessNic
Summary: Jack's first reactions to the TARDIS materialising in the Torchwood Hub and the the regenerated Doctor and new companion Martha. Please Review.


A/N: An idea that popped into my head whilst watching End Of Days on BBC3. I don't own anything...sadly. Reviews greatly appreciated.

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Jack only just realised what hell was happening when he heard the familiar sounds of the TARDIS engines whooshing as it materialised in front of his eyes. It was here, the TARDIS, that friendly retro blue box. The Doctor and Rose had finally found him, come to collect him. 

About bloody time too.

It was weird because Jack had been thinking about the Doctor a lot recently, wishing he would appear once more along Jack's slow time line. He had been thinking about him so much more over the past couple of days (apart from the ones in which he was unconscious in Torchwood Morgue) Cardiff was a complete state. The Rift, after being opened and manipulated by the idiot that is Dr Owen Harper, has been causing chaos, leaving aliens and people from different times arriving non-stop all over the world, coming through the fractures in time and bringing about devastation and destruction to 2006.

Jack had no idea what to do, how to solve this almighty problem that Torchwood seemed to bear on their already trodden down shoulders. The Rift should no have been manipulated with again as it will most certainly initiate more damage and possibly bringing about the end of days. But this was what the others – Gwen, Owen, Tosh and Ianto – wanted.

All through the ruin of earth that lay with Centurion Soldiers shouting latin, Vikings attacking the modern day unprepared police and UFOs floating above the Taj Mahal, Owe kept pestering Jack about what was to be done. When their esteemed leader was going to take charge and end hell freezing over.

In the end, Jack answered honestly. He didn't know. He didn't have a plan because this was meant to happen. No one was supposed to mess with the rift. Rule one of Torchwood: Cardiff.

But deep down, very deep down, Jack kept hope. Hope that his back-up plan would finally come into action. Hope that a blue box would appear from the Time Vortex containing an aging man donning a leather jacket with a cheeky blonde at his side would notice that Cardiff needed him right now. That was the true plan. Keep stalling Gwen, Owen, Tosh and Ianto till the Doctor would come and make everything right again.

From the short time that Jack spent with the Doctor, he had seen him get out of many difficult and awkward situations that seemed to affect the timeline. Jack always secretly admired how the Doctor stopped disasters and didn't batter a eyelid about how it was him who had that burden on his shoulders. Countless times, absolutely countless times, the Doctor saved worlds, races, cultures, even the bloody universe and he moved on, ready to do it time and time again. That was amazing in Jack's opinion.

But the Doctor didn't come. And Jack realised it was up to him to stop Abaddon. He gave up his life to save the world, giving Abaddon an all you can eat buffet. It worked too. Though it took Jack a good few days and a live giving kiss from Gwen to revive him. He was recharging his old batteries slowly and the Rift, after being ripped open again, was gradually healing. But like Jack told Gwen, it was going to be more volatile then ever.

Jack smiled to himself as he felt rushes of wind rhythmically syncronised with the TARDIS' dematerialising sequence run through his hair. The Doctor did notice that Cardiff needed help and he was back.

All though a tad late.

It seemed like an age to Jack, but awe washed over him as the TARDIS stood in front of him. That same old bloody TARDIS that his own space ship recognised as a Time Travel Vessel and so Jack through the Chuler Ambulance at them and they followed. He adored the shape of it. Loved the retro look. Adored the panels.

Without a moment's more ado, the TARDIS doors opened and Jack ran through them. Only to be met by two people he didn't know.

There was a tall, skinny man wearing a blue suit and Converse trainers and a smaller slender dark skinned girl who definitely was not Rose. Jack furrowed his eyebrows.

"You do keep yourself hidden, don't you Jack Harkness?" The tall man said, flicking a switch on the TARDIS console and the central column lit up and started up the TARDIS engines. They were in flight. "Took me a long while to find you." He said straightening up, "Ah well, all is forgiven, how are you big fella?" He grinned widely which Jack supposed was meant to make him feel at ease, but it only made him wearier.

"Wait a minute," Jack said. He was still standing just inside the TARDIS doors. "You're the Doctor?" He asked the man as if it couldn't be true.

"Oh yes," He grinned again.

"I bloody hope so anyway," The woman interjected, "Otherwise I have been going round the universe with an impostor." She laughed and 'The Doctor' laughed with her.

Jack was unsure of the girl. Alright, she seemed nice enough, but where was Rose? Surely it hadn't been that long that Rose had aged and the Doctor picked up another girl on his travels. And Rose would not have left the Doctor. Jack looked around the TARDIS and felt something different. It was certain that Rose wasn't here.

'The Doctor' turned back to Jack, "I am the Doctor, honest."

"But you are a completely different person." Jack said, indicating his attire and physique.

"Ever heard of Time Lord Regeneration?" The Doctor raised his eyebrow.

Jack was stunned, "That was myth!" He insisted, "Time Lord regeneration was a fairy tale. The whole 'I don't die I just change my body' thing can't exist. It's impossible! You aren't the Doctor, not the one I knew anyway."

The Doctor smiled, which just made Jack curious, "Alright then, how about this then? How do I know that you are an ex-time agent who is searching for two years of your memories that the Time Agency took away? How do I know that we met in 1941 at the height of the London Blitz when you saw Rose and I as marks for your latest con?" The Doctor took a step forward, towards Jack, "How do I know that your favourite drink is a Hyper-Vodka? How do I know that you were on exit two as we tried to capture Margaret the Slitheen?" He took another step forward, "How do I know that even though you were frightened to death by the Daleks, you kept on fighting, trying your absolute best to keep them back so I could build the Delta Wave in time? How do I know that you kept on fighting for Rose, and for me?" The Doctor took another step forward so he was an arm's length away from Jack.

Jack looked at him, and realised, "Doctor?"

The Doctor gave him a wink and a smile. "Hello Jack. Welcome home."

"You guys want to get a room?" The woman called out from the console.

The Doctor turned on his heel, "Right yes, where were we off to?" The Doctor ran up to the console and started to flick switches and turn levers, Jack followed and leant against the railings, "You know what, I'm hungry. Want to go to the Restaurant at the End of the Universe?"

"Are you not going to introduce me?" The woman said, looking at the Doctor, an insulted expression on her face.

"Right, yes, sorry, all that excitement and all that," The Doctor straightened up, "Captain Jack Harkness, this is Martha Jones. Martha, Jack - Jack, Martha"

"Pleased to make your acquaintance Miss Jones," Jack said, holding out his hand.

Martha took it and shook with a great smile, "Likewise, Captain."


End file.
